FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Fairfield University Men's Basketball closes out an eight-game road swing and opens the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference portion of the schedule on Thursday evening at Draddy Gym against Manhattan. Opening tip-off from the Bronx is set for 7 p.m.
 
LAST TIME OUT: FAIRFIELD 63, EVANSVILLE 56
Fairfield faced a 40-31 deficit early in the second half against Evansville in Sunday's finale at the Hostilo Hoops Community Classic in Savannah. But the Stags conceded just 16 points over the final 14 minutes while netting 32 of their own to rally for a 63-56 victory. Caleb Fields scored 12 of his season-high 21 points during the comeback.
 
Fields' 21 points are the most scored in a game by a Stag this season. The Fairfield point guard shot 5-for-12 from the floor with one three-pointer and went 10-for-12 from the free throw line as he continually drew contact and converted his chances down the stretch. As a team, the Stags sank 20 free throws on 27 attempts during the final 14 minutes after making just three of their first seven tries at the stripe.
 
Allan Jeanne-Rose and TJ Long joined Fields in double figures with 12 points apiece. Supreme Cook added seven points and hauled in a game-high 11 rebounds and Jake Wojcik collected eight caroms, guiding Fairfield to a decisive 39-29 advantage on the boards.
 
CONFERENCE CALL
In addition to Thursday's matchup in Riverdale, the evening's other conference contest will feature Mount St. Mary's making its MAAC debut at defending conference champion Saint Peter's. Ten MAAC teams will play at least one league game between Dec. 1-4, with Marist trekking to Maine for non-conference action.
 
THE MANHATTAN COLLEGE JASPERS
Manhattan begins MAAC play coming off of its first Division I win of the campaign, topping Army by a 72-71 count in London to improve to 2-3 on the year. The Jaspers are an overtime loss away from having won three straight, falling in a wild finish to Northeastern in overtime on the other side of the pond and, prior to the overseas trip, throttling Division III Mount Saint Vincent, 86-39. Manhattan opened the season with losses at VCU and Fairleigh Dickinson.
 
Josh Roberts leads four Jaspers averaging double figures, posting a near double-double with 16.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. Samir Stewart, Ant Nelson and Elijah Buchanan all also average at least 11.0 points per outing.
 
The Jaspers were tabbed for second place in the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, though the voting took place prior to their October head coaching change and the ensuing transfer of Preseason Player of the Year Jose Perez.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
Last season's split moved the all-time series to 58-54 in favor of the Jaspers dating back to 1954. The Stags have won three of the last four meetings in Riverdale and have not been swept in the series since 2017-18. In a scheduling anomaly, 2022 marks the fourth consecutive calendar year (and fifth in the last six) in which Fairfield and Manhattan will play three times.
 
ROAD WARRIORS
Fairfield will play its first eight regular season games away from home, ending with Thursday's game at Manhattan. The Stags will be among the last teams in the nation to tip-off in front of a friendly crowd when they make their debut at the new on-campus Leo D. Mahoney Arena on Dec. 3 against Saint Peter's. That game begins an eight-game homestand for the Stags, also one of the longest in the nation this season.
 
Only three Division I teams will tip off their home opener later than Fairfield's Dec. 3 game. South Carolina State plays its first home contest on Dec. 13 after 11 road games, Alcorn State begins the home slate on Jan. 2 after 13 games away from home, and Jackson State will play 14 straight road games before beginning its home schedule on Jan. 7 as the last Division I squad to host a regular season game in 2022-23.
 
Gardner-Webb and Alabama State will also play their home openers on Dec. 3, tipping off in the afternoon prior to Fairfield's 7 p.m. start.
 
THE NEW DIGS
When the Stags do return home on Dec. 3, it will mark their debut at Leo D. Mahoney Arena. The $51 million venue, which stands in the footprint of Alumni Hall, seats 3,500 fans. Fairfield played the entirety of the 2020-21 season on campus without fans due to Covid-19 protocols and played all of 2021-22 at Webster Bank Arena (now Total Mortgage Arena) in Bridgeport during construction of Mahoney Arena.
 
The Stags last played on campus AND in front of fans on March 1, 2020, which will be a span of 1,004 days when Dec. 3 arrives.
 
SOME ENCHANTED MTE-VENING
Fairfield finished the Hostilo Hoops Community Classic multi-team event ("MTE") in Savannah with a 2-1 record. The Stags earned a win over previously unbeaten Towson on Nov. 25, took a two-point loss to Mercer on Nov. 26, and ended the slate with a win over Evansville on Nov. 27.
 
Fairfield, Towson, Mercer and South Alabama all went 2-1 at the event.  Evansville went 1-2 in its three outings and Robert Morris was winless in Savannah at 0-3.
 
THE STAGS WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA
In 75 seasons of varsity basketball, Fairfield had played just one game in the state of Georgia prior to this season. Led by 15 points from Derek Needham, the Stags knocked off host Savannah State, 41-39, on Dec. 2, 2010. Including this Thanksgiving weekend in Savannah, Fairfield is now 3-1 all-time in the Peach State.
 
UP NEXT
The Stags make their long-awaited Leo D. Mahoney Arena debut on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. with a visit from defending MAAC Champion Saint Peter's. The game, which has been announced as a sell out, will mark the first of eight consecutive home contests for Fairfield Men's Basketball.